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Bill to require reporting of 1099 contractors to new-hire database moves to judiciary committee
Summary
House File 1316, which would require employers to report 1099 independent contractors to the state's new-hire database to improve child support collections, was amended (effective date changed) and re-referred to the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee; sponsors said the change would use existing reporting systems maintained by DCYF.
House File 1316, introduced by Representative Kate Curran, would require reporting of 1099 independent contractors (commonly known as "1099 workers") into the state's new-hire database to help enforce child support orders. The committee adopted an author's A1 amendment that changed the bill's effective date to July 1, 2026, and then re-referred the bill to the Committee on Judiciary Finance and Civil Law.
Trish Schophammer, director of child support services in the Ramsey County Attorney's Office, described the problem driving the legislation: gig-economy earnings and other nontraditional income streams are harder to discover for child-support enforcement because independent contractors are not required to be reported to the state's existing new-hire system. Schophammer said 20 states already require reporting of independent contractors and that the proposed change would align Minnesota with those states.
Representative Curran and witnesses told the committee the bill would reuse the state's existing new-hire reporting portal managed by the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) and that DCYF partners would implement necessary interface changes. Curran said the change is operationally simple: employers would visit the new-hire portal and enter contractor information the same way they enter employee new-hires. The author and witnesses acknowledged an additional reporting burden on employers but argued improved child-support collections would offset costs.
Members asked about implications for small contractors, trucking subcontractors and firms that use many independent contractors. Witnesses and the author said compliance could create an additional administrative burden for employers, and county representatives noted outreach and education by DCYF would be needed to inform employers of the new requirement. The bill author said effective date changes were added to allow implementation time.
Action: The committee adopted the author's amendment (A1) and re-referred House File 1316, as amended, to the Committee on Judiciary Finance and Civil Law.
Why it matters: Supporters argued the proposal would make it easier to locate income and establish income withholding for child support, especially as more workers earn money in gig and contract arrangements. Counties and some members expressed concern about added administrative burden on employers and sought information on employer notification and compliance mechanisms.
Provenance: Discussion begins with Representative Curran introducing HF 1316 and ends when the chair announced the bill was re-referred to Judiciary Finance and Civil Law.
